Explore Arles, Nice and Paris

Visit three famous cities in France, learning about both northern and southern France through a variety of experiences, including:

• Pastry lessons in Paris
• Mediterranean cuisine lessons in the South of France with renowned French chef Jean Montagard
• Visits to the open-air food markets
• Visit to a vineyard in the South of France
• International Photography and Film Festival in Arles (the oldest and largest photography and film festival in the world)
• Pere-Lachaise and Montparnasse cemeteries
• Cycling along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice
• Various art museums, galleries, and institutes, such as:
  • The Louvre
  • Fondation Louis Vuitton
  • Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art
  • Centre Georges Pompidou
  • Palais de Tokyo
  • National Museum of Modern Art to the City of Paris
  • Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nice
  • Fondation Maeght
  • Concrete Art Museum
  • Matisse Museum

Gain perspective outside the classroom

Learning about French culture, language, art and cuisine onsite and in person allows for unique opportunities, including rare chances to discuss, experience and reflect upon artwork onsite at various museums and galleries with artists, curators and historians.  You’ll engage directly with  renowned local professionals — experts in cuisine, art and culture.

For example, the 2015 Study Away group was the first tour to visit and explore the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.

You’ll explore various ways of seeing, experiencing, and exhibiting art, through both informal, exploratory museums such as Palais de Tokyo and more formal institutes, such as the Louvre.

And you’ll enjoy onsite lectures and discussions with renowned art curators, art historians and BBC affiliates, including: Dr. Michel Remy (BBC affiliate, Professor Emeritus from the University of Nice in English literature and art history and one of the top European specialist on Surreal Art); Dr. Daniel Jeffreys (Hong Kong Design Institute, Contributor to BBC, Specialist on Art Deco/Art Nouveau); and Sunday Rennie (Curator from the Museum of Modern Art in Melbourne, Australia, MA in Curatorship, specialist on Museum Studies).

Street art and public art

One of our areas of focus is investigating the art, culture and social politics of both street art and public art — art for everyone.

We’ll engage with the Street Art in Paris through a lecture and exploration of various Parisian neighborhoods with Paul Wright (specialist on Street Art and Public Art in Paris, World Radio Paris and Urban States Radio, journalist and typographer) and Susie Kahlich (specialist on Street Art in Paris/Outsider Art and Art Exhibitions with World Radio Paris). We’ll take in work by various artists, including Miss Tic and Blek le Rat (whom influenced Banksy).

Street artist and curator Jonas, of the Quai36 project, will also lead us on an investigation of public art at the Gare du Nord in Paris.

Another highlight will be working in the classrooms, labs, facilities and residence halls of the newly renovated St. John’s University in Paris, which is situated in the Saint Germaine district close to the oldest department store in France.

Learn about the North and South of France

Our itinerary will allow you to experience both the North and the South of France, taking in their unique distinctions in dialect, climate, cuisine, vegetation and lifestyle.

You’ll spend time with locals, directly engaging and gaining deeper understanding of the many facets of French culture, along with a better understanding of your own culture, norms and ideals.

Key details

• What: Contemporary French Culture, Art, Cuisine and Language
• When: July 27, 2017 – August 15, 2017
• Where: Arles, Nice and Paris, France
• How: Apply online – must complete application by April 1, 2017
• Course credit available for one of the following:
  • IDS 297
  • IDS 397
  • ART 497
  • ART 200
  • UHC 350
  • FRN 297
  • FRN 302